Peruvian military go home

The Peruvian defence ministry says regional military commanders who'd gathered in the capital, Lima, have now returned to their posts -- after a blunt order to do so from the President, Alberto Fujimori.

He'd acted after rumours of a possible military coup.

The armed forces' chief, Nicolas Hermoza, sent a letter to Mr Fujimori, assuring him that his order had been obeyed.

General Hermoza has been involved in an argument with the president over who planned the operation last April which resulted in the release of a group of hostages from the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service